LOVELAND, Colo. — As much-needed rain falls across Northern Colorado, some Loveland residents say every drop still matters.
Tanya Barton is one of them.
"I'm concerned that we're in this 26-year mega drought here," Barton said.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Northern Colorado and Eastern Plains Reporter Peter Choi finds that city leaders are proposing updates to the city's water use ordinance as residents look for ways to conserve every drop
Barton invited Denver7 into her home to show one of the ways she's conserving water, a smart irrigation system installed in her basement. With the push of a button, the system adjusts watering zones to help reduce unnecessary water use.
"It's smart," Barton said while demonstrating the controller.
She believes homeowners have a responsibility to conserve water, especially as Colorado continues to face long-term drought conditions.
"We have to be responsible and come up with more of a comprehensive plan for how we're going to ensure that our citizens have water long term," Barton said.
The City of Loveland is also looking at ways to encourage water conservation.
City leaders are proposing updates to the municipal code governing water use, saying the changes would make the rules easier for both residents and city staff to understand.
"Specifically, it is Title 13 and Title 19 of our Loveland Municipal Code," said Catharine Kellogg, Technical Specialist II with the City of Loveland. "The goal was to promote water efficiency practices throughout the city to better manage our water resources wisely."
One of the biggest changes would be to provide a clearer definition of what qualifies as water waste.
"Under our current municipal code, it was very vague as to what exactly constitutes waste," Kellogg said. "Under the new municipal code, we outlined that failure to repair leaks and/or breaks in a timely manner would constitute waste."
The proposal would also establish a clearer enforcement process if property owners fail to address ongoing water waste.
"If there is failure to comply for extended periods of time, then the city could take actions to help protect the health and safety of our customers," Kellogg said.
The changes also include the Hydro Zone program under Title 19. It's a program that focuses on water efficiency.
"Some of the code changes that we had gone through were to make sure that it was more aligned with what our current practices and best management practices were, and to just kind of clean up some code language that maybe was not as clear about what is required of participants," Kellogg said.
For Barton, the proposed changes are a step in the right direction. But she says protecting Colorado's water supply ultimately starts with everyone doing their part.
"I think it's important to understand this is a broader problem," Barton said.
The proposed ordinance changes are scheduled to go before the Loveland City Council again on July 8.
